Reporters in the Family Court

Legal bloggers and journalists are permitted to attend hearings in family court concerning children. There is a court reporting scheme specifically designed to enable reporters and qualified legal writers to convey what they observe and hear during proceedings.  

As part of this scheme, the court may issue an order that allows a reporter to cover some or all aspects of the case. However, this does not imply that every detail can be disclosed; all information that could potentially identify the parents or children is protected. This includes personal details like your residence, images of the children, or information about their caregivers. Such measures are in place to safeguard the child(ren)’s privacy. The order that permits a reporter to report on the case is referred to as a transparency order, which includes an injunction against breaches—violating this injunction is a serious offense. If a journalist publishes anything that may reveal your identity or that of the children, they could face fines or imprisonment.  

Only reporters in family court have the authority to publish details about the case, meaning that no one else is allowed to disseminate private information from the proceedings.  

You have the option to speak with a reporter, and they may quote you, provided they respect the privacy of the child(ren). However, you must refrain from posting any information related to the case on social media or elsewhere. If a story is written about your case, you cannot share it on your social media or do anything that would indicate the report pertains to your situation.  

If you oppose the issuance of an order, you will have the opportunity to express your reasons or inform the judge about specific aspects you wish to keep confidential. Should circumstances change, you can request the court to modify the order at a later date.  

Once an order is in effect, a reporter will be allowed to take notes in court regarding their observations and what they hear. They may also access certain documents. However, they are prohibited from recording the proceedings through tape, video, live streaming, or tweeting about the case, as such actions would constitute contempt of court.